Door for washing machines and the like



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J. N, WHITE Filed Feb. 5, 1931 DOOR FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE ||Il||| l N;

April 3, 1934.

April 3, 1934. J. N. WHITE 1,953,380

DOOR FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 3. 1931 5 Sheets- Sheet 2 fm1* O j lJamas Af'. h/ie.

April 3, 1934. J, N. WHITE DOOR FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 5, 1931 31 Sheets Sheet 3 ef W Patented Apr. 3, 1934 DOOR FOR WASHING MACHINES AND THE LIKE James N. White, Denver, Colo.

Application February 3, 1931, Serial No. 513,107

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improved door construction for washing machines and mechanism for actuating the sameV and more particularly tov washing machines of the gravity dumping type.

a The present apparatus is particularly, but not necessarily, adapted for use with washing machines of the types disclosed by Patent No. 1,775,879 issued to mel September 16, 1930, application Serial No. 462,655 iiled June 20, 1930, application 504,840 filed December 26, 1930 and other applications of my own now pending.

It is one object of this invention to provide an improved door construction for washing machines of the above type that shall positively 1prevent the escape of liquid from the machine so long as the door is in closed position.

Another object is to provide an improved door that shall be so constructed as to prevent clothes or other articles from becoming caught in the' A door mechanism during the loading and unloading of the clothes.

Another object is to provide an improved door mechanism of the sliding type that shall operate freely and positively when such operation is desired and that shall positively seal the door opening when in closed position.

Another object is to provide in a door construction, having the above characteristics, means for automatically opening the door when the machine is rotated for dumping the clothes or other articles.

A further object is to provide an improved door construction for washing machines of the above type and means for automatically opening the door when the machine is rotated suiiiciently to cause any liquid remaining therein to fall under the machine during the opening of the door and thereby prevent the splashing of water on the passageway along the front of the machine.

4G A still further object is to provide an improved door for washing machinesvof the gravity dumping typehaving means for automatically actuating said door that shall be simple, rugged, efficient in operation and cheap to manufacture.

The above and other objects will appear more fully throughout the description of the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters refer to like parts. It is to be expressly understood that while the present invention is described in connection with a washing machine it is intended that the scope of the invention shall extend to any like machine where the present apparatus may be desired and it is to be further understood that the drawings are not a denition of the invention, this being dened by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a iront elevational View partly in section embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective View of a portion of the machine having a part of the door cut away, embodying the invention.

Figure 3 is a section taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Figure 4 is a section taken along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 is an end elevational view of Fig. 2', partly in section, showing the machine in position at the beginning of the door opening operation.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing the door in open position.

Figure 7 is an end elevational View of the machine as shown in Figure 2 with a portion broken away and with the addition of mechanism for closing the doors, the doors being shown open in this View.

Figure 8 is a view the same as Figure '7 except that a different portion of the machine is broken away and the doors are shown as closed by the closing mechanism. Y

Figure 9 is a fragmentary detailed View illustrating the structure at, and adjacent, the door runways.

As stated above, the present invention is adapt-V ed for machines illustrated and described in the above mentioned patent and applications. However, ior the sake of convenience, suilicient structure of the machine will be described to eiect an understanding of its operation.

Suitable supporting members 10, which may be bolted to the oor as at 11, carry bearings having exterior bearing surface for the ring 12 of the spider' 13' anixed in any suitable manner to a disc 14, the latter constituting the end of the outer tub 15, whereby the outer tub 15 is rotatable upon the bearings.

In the interior of the machine and in nested relation to the said outer tub, is provided a cage 16, which may be of any suitable structure for the purpose for which it is intended. The cage is carried by gudgeons 17, rotatable in the bearings and attached to the cage by any suitable means.

The tub 15 is carried by the end 14, the latter being provided with an annular inwardly extending iiange 18 and Xed to the tub by rivets 19, see Fig. 4. The tub may be formed integral with the end 14 if so desired. The cage and the tub both are provided with cutaway portions 21 and 22 respectively, which cutaway portions are normally covered by sliding doors 23 and 24 respectively. The cutaway portions are adapted to register one with the other when rotating the machine to dump the articles therefrom after the washing process is completed, the cage and the tub being rotated simultaneously during this operation. The sliding door 23 of the cage is of the same circular conformity as the cage and is adapted to slide along the groove 25 formed in the outer surface of the cage, in the same inanner as that disclosed by the above mentioned patent and application Serial Number 504,840, While in the present disclosure the door 24 is of novel construction, which will later be described.

The cage is revolved by means of power supplied from any suitable source as pulley 26 which conventionally indicates a common three pulley construction for imparting alternating rotation of the cage, while the outer tub is rotated independently of the cage by means 27 positioned substantially at any desired position along the longitudinal center of the tub. This means comprises a band 28, carried by the tub and encircling the same. The band is provided with a worm ring for engagement with a worin, the latter being driven by reversible motor 29 through the intervention of gears. The means for rotating the outer tub is fully disclosed in above mentioned application 462,655 dated June 28, 1930 and does not form a part of this invention, as the present invention may employ any desirable means for operating the tub.

The novel door construction of the tub comprises a door 24 of substantially the same contour as the tub and of substantially the same length as the tub. Positioned in the cutaway portion about each end of the tub and resting on the inwardly extending flange 18 is a strip member 3l which is simply the edge of the tulo casing remaining along the sides of the cutaway portion. Encircling each of the strip members 31 is provided a ring member 32 but spaced therefrom by spacing ring 33, the latter being of less width than the members 31 and 32 and forming a slideway or groove 34. The door 24, which extends the full length of the tub is adapted to slide along the top surface of the rings 32 and is provided with L shaped member 35, the parallel leg of which extends outwardly and into the groove 34. It will be noted that it is not necessary for the ring 32 and spacing member 33 to completely encircle the tub 15 so long as they Y encircle the circumference of the tub sufficient distance to provide the grooves 34 for the door to slide to its open position. A ring 32' is provided at substantially the longitudinal center of the tub, which may or may not completely encircle the tub and is spaced therefrom by a spacing ring 33' which may be of thesame length. The door 24, adjacent each side of the ring 32', is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed and spaced apart L shaped members 35', the lower legs of which are adapted to engage the guidecooperating beveled surface of the members 36 and 37 engage one another and inasmuch as the door is prevented from upward movement, the engaging surfaces of the members 36 and 37 are wedged together in close relation. The lower longitudinal edge of the door is provided with a beveled member 38, which is rigidly fixed to the under surface thereof and adapted to engage and cooperate with an angular member 39 carried by the outer surface of the tub adjacent the lower edge of the cutaway portion. The angular member 39, which may be resilient if desired, provides an inclined surface41 for engaging and cooperating with the adjacent beveled side of the member 38 so that when the door is brought to closed position the cooperating surfaces of members 38 and 41 are broughtinto close relation and since the members 35 engaging the guideways 34 prevent the outer movement of the door the beveled surfaces of the members 38 and 41 are wedged together to form a tight, non-leakable connection. It can be seen, therefore, as the door is opened by sliding along the groove or guideway 34, the cooperating beveled surfaces of the members 36, 37, 38 and 39 will readily separate and permit the door to move easily along the guideways or grooves and that upon moving the door to its closed position, the corresponding beveled surfaces will engage one another to form a rigid, non-leakable connection.

In the form shown, the tub and cage are adapted to rotate'simultaneously with their cutaway portions registering one with the other in a clockwise direction for the clothes dumping operation and means are here provided for automatically opening the doors of the cage and tub simultaneously, which means comprise cam members 42 rigidly fixed to the supporting members 10 and provided with a cam face 42', the lower edge of the cam face 42 being provided with a stop 43. Carried by the door 24 adjacent the lower edge thereof is a pin member 44 having a head 45 adapted to cooperate with the cam surface 42. The pin member is provided with a spring 46 for yieldingly holding the pin member outwardly and out of contact with the rotating cage during normal operation. The cage door 23 is provided with a slot or opening 47 adapted to receive the inner end of the pin 44 when the latter is pressed inwardly by means of the cam face 42. Upon rotating the tub in a clockwise direction to a position shown by Fig. 5 the cam face 42' operates to urge the pin 44 inwardly against the yielding means 46 and into engagement with the slot or opening 47 in the door 23 and operating to hold the doors 23 and 24 stationary through the intervention of stop member 43 while the tub and cage continue to rotate to the full dumping position as shown by Fig. 6, at which time the doors are in open position and the articles within the tub are permitted todrop into a container or conveyer 48. Upon rotating the tub in a counter-clockwise position the doors remain open for permitting the refilling of the cage.

The operation of the machine is substantially the same as that disclosed by my above mentioned patent and applications with the exception of the automatic opening of the door. The operation of the automatic door is as follows-upon rotating the cage and tub, having the cutaway portions registering one with the other, the head of the pin 44 comes in contact with the cam surface 42', the latter being so shaped as to urge the pin inwardly to engage the slot 47 of the door 23, at which time the stop member 43 of the cam member 42, engaging head 45 of pin 44, stops the pin 44 and the doors 23 and 24 which are both engaged by the pin 44 while the tub and cage continue to the full open position as shown by Fig. 4.

Some of the important features of the present door construction and automatic means reside in the ease with which the door may be operated; the positive prevention of the escape of liquid from the tub during operation of the machine, in permitting the door to remain closed until the tub is rotated a suiiicient distance to prevent any water from splashing on the passageway in front of the machine; the saving of manual labor in opening the doors of both the cage and the tub and the simpleness and ruggedness of the structure which is cheap of manufacture.

While I have illustrated and described one preferred form of automatic means for opening the door, it is to be understood that many means may now be devised to accomplish this purpose, also while I have illustrated and described means for automatically opening the doors of the cage and tub it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that similar means may be provided for closing the door, such means comprising a cam positioned adjacent the upper portion of the tub and adapted to engage the head 45 of pin 44 and urge the same inwardly and into engagement with the slot or opening 47, whereby upon further rotation of the cage and tub in a counterclockwise direction the doors will be brought to closed position. This structure is illustrated in Figures 7 and 8, wherein the cam member rigidly fixed to the supporting member 10 is generally indicated at 49, the cam face corresponding to the cam face 42 is indicated at 50 and the stop corresponding to the stop 43 is indicated at 5l Wherefrom it will be obvious that when the tub and cage, with their cutaway portions registering one with the other, as illustrated in Figure '7, are rotated in counter-clockwise direction the cam face 50 will depress the head 45 and pin 44 causing the pin to project into the slot or opening 47 in the cage door 23 and thereafter the stop 5l will engage the head 45 and prevent further movement of the pin 44 and of the doors 23 and 24, engaged by the pin 44, so that when the counter-clockwise rotation of the tub and cage is continued the doors 23 and 24 will be held stationary until the tub and cage reach the position shown in Figure 8, whereupon both doors 23 and 24 will be in closed position, as clearly shown at Figure 8. Changes, modications, substitutions, additions and omissions may be made in the structure without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a washing machine having a rotatably mounted cylindrical body with a doorway therein and a sliding door therefor, also a clothes container rotatably mounted within said cylindrical body with a doorway in the container and a sliding door therefor, the combination comprising means for simultaneously rotating the body and container with their doorways registering one with the other, means for interlocking the doors and a stop adapted to engage the interlocking means to operate the latter to both interlock the doors and hold the doors stationary during rotation of the body and container in one direction.

2. In a washing machine` having a rotatably mounted cylindrical body with a doorway therein and a sliding door therefor, also a clothes container rotatably mounted within said cylindrical body with a doorway in the container and a sliding door therefor. the combination comprising means for simultaneously rotating the body and container with their doorways registering one with the other, means for interlocking the doors and a stop adapted to engage the interlocking means to operate the latter to both interlock the doors and hold the doors stationary during rotation of the body and container in one direction, said interlocking means comprising a member carried by and movable relative to the door in the body and normally out of engagement with the container door, and a cam surface on said sto-p adapted to urge said member into engagement with the container door for interlocking the doors.

3. In a washing machine the combination including a rotatable cylindrical body having a doorway therein, members extending longitudinally of said container adjacent the sides of said doorway, said members having bevelled faces, a sliding door for said doorway having members extending longitudinally of the edges of said door and having bevelled faces for cooperatively engaging the i'lrst said bevelled faces, rigid guideways for said door, a projecting member carried by said door and a stop for engaging said projecting member whereby to hold said door stationary during rotation of said body in one direction.

4. In a washing machine the-combination comprising a rotatably mounted cylindrical body having a doorway therein and a sliding door therefor, a clothes container rotatably mounted within said cylindrical body having a doorway therein and a sliding door therefor, means for simultaneously moving said doors relative to said body and container, said means comprising a stop having a cam face, and a plunger carried by the door in the body and adapted, upon rotation of said body, to engage said cam face and be thereby depressed into engagement with the container door to interlock said doors and hold the same against rotation.

JAMES N. WHITE. 

